Sanchez vs Torrez Eliminator Postponed After Recurring Injury

The IBF heavyweight title eliminator between Frank Sanchez and Richard Torrez Jr. scheduled for March 28 in Las Vegas has been postponed after Sanchez suffered a knee injury, sources told ESPN’s Andreas Hale on Wednesday.

The bout was set to serve as Premier Boxing Champions’ pay-per-view opener for Sebastian Fundora’s WBC junior middleweight title defense against Keith Thurman at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Sanchez Withdraws After Knee Inflammation Returns

Cuba’s Frank Sanchez has been forced out of the fight due to inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee.

Sources close to the situation told ESPN the injury relates to the same knee that required arthroscopic surgery in 2024. The issue stems from damage sustained during Sanchez’s May 2024 fight with Agit Kabayel in Riyadh, where he suffered the injury during the opening rounds and later underwent surgery.

Sanchez addressed the procedure in a June 24, 2024 Instagram post.

“I underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in Miami last week, resulting from an injury that occurred during the first two rounds of my last bout in Riyadh. #Riyadhseason

“Surgery went perfect, I should return to training in three months.”

PBC Targeting May For Rescheduled Eliminator

According to The Ring’s Mike Coppinger, Premier Boxing Champions hope to move the eliminator to May.

The winner of the bout would become the mandatory challenger to Oleksandr Usyk, who currently holds the IBF, WBC and WBA heavyweight titles.

Sanchez last appeared in February 2025, returning from rehabilitation for a six-round bout in Tijuana against Ramon Olivas Echeverria.

Torrez Coming Off First-Round Win Over Salek

Richard Torrez Jr. entered the scheduled eliminator following a first-round injury stoppage of Poland’s Tomas Salek on November 15 in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

The undefeated American, a 2020 Olympic silver medalist, holds a record of 14-0 with 12 knockouts.

Torrez was ultimately selected for the IBF eliminator after several heavyweights declined to move forward during the sanctioning body’s process.

IBF Eliminator Saw Multiple Withdrawals

The sanctioned eliminator has faced several complications before landing on the Sanchez–Torrez matchup.

Former IBF titlist Daniel Dubois withdrew on the morning of a scheduled purse bid hearing after a previous seven-day delay. Moses Itauma, Filip Hrgovic and Efe Ajagba were also involved in discussions at different stages but did not advance through the process.

Ajagba had been set for a rematch with Sanchez after Sampson Boxing won the purse bid for the fight, but the Nigerian heavyweight declined to proceed due to dissatisfaction with his purse split. Sanchez previously defeated Ajagba by unanimous decision in October 2021.

With the March 28 bout postponed, attention now turns to whether Sanchez can recover in time for the proposed May date so the IBF eliminator can finally move forward and determine a mandatory challenger for Usyk.